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Friday,
June 1, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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DEFENCE MINISTRY REPORT ANTI-SIKH RIOTS 10 pc hike in rail fare likely:
Digvijay Manipur Speaker opts
out |
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Raising dam height criminal act:
BJP Pak poet to meet
Vajpayee Concern over climate
change Outlook disputes official
claim General I.S. Gill
dead Bhati likely to be
Uttaranchal Chief Secretary Jacob gives draft
for quake-hit to PM Electricity poles of contention
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DEFENCE MINISTRY REPORT New Delhi, May 31 In the report, which was released this morning, India has stressed upon the fact that China still thinks that there was not sufficient trust and understanding between the two countries. The differences of perception of Line of Actual Control (LAC) remain while China continues to occupy almost 38,000 sq kms of Indian territory. The report clearly states, “The asymmetry in terms of nuclear forces is strongly in favour of China which additionally has helped Pakistan to build missile and nuclear capability”. India although states that a number of confidence building measures (CBMs) have been initiated and are bearing fruits, but is still cautious of China. It points out that Beijing was rapidly modernising its armed forces and building political and military bridges with a large number of countries in our neighbourhood. China was also further augmenting its missile capability to include submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), the report says. Incidentally, there have been a number of high-level exchanges between the two countries. The Indian President visited China in May-June 2000 and this was followed by the visit of Chairman of National People’s Congress Mr Li Peng in January 2001. In fact for the first time after a long gap India’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis was on a official visit to China last week. The report notes that China is currently preoccupied with domestic development, and developments relating to Taiwan and the South China seas. As these problems are unlikely to be settled in the next few years, “China’s priority vis-a-vis India will be not necessarily to resolve, but keep differences within manageable limits”. China occupies approximately 38,000 sq km of Indian territory. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan boundary agreement Pakistan has illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory to China in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. China also claims some 90,000 sq km in Arunachal Pradesh. The Defence Ministry said although the border areas had remained largely peaceful, from time to time, on account of differences of perceptions on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), situations have arisen on the ground that could have been avoided had the LAC clarification been completed. The Group of Ministers’ recent report on reforming the national security system had said that special note must be taken of China’s wide-ranging defence modernisation with particular focus on force-multipliers and high technology weapon systems. The rapid economic growth of China in the last few years, coupled with its ambitious military modernisation programme, would enable it to attain near superpower status by 2020, the GoM said. |
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ANTI-SIKH RIOTS New Delhi, May 31 Suri, who was working with Indian Express at the time, said when he visited the area around 4 p.m. on November 1, 1984, the then Congress MP was in control of the crowd which was looking to him for directions. “The mob charged at the Gurdwara a couple of times in the presence of Mr Kamal Nath,” Suri said in response to a question by the ’84 carnage justice committee counsel H.S. Phoolka. Suri, who is now the London correspondent of India Abroad, also accused the then Additional Commissioner of Police Gautam Kaul of being a “passive spectator to the commands of Congress leaders.” “As is evident from television shots that day, Mr Gautam Kaul was conducting mourners at Teen Murti house when firing, killing and burning was taking place close by in the area under his charge. When he did come he stood aside, without making any attempts to check the crowd,” the journalist said in an affidavit filed before the commission. Suri also charged another Congress leader Dharam Dass Shastri with “trying to shield” the criminals during the riots. He said on November 5, 1984, he saw the then MP Shastri shouting at the then Deputy Commissioner of Police Amod Kanth and Assistant Commissioner of Police Ram Murti Sharma at the Karol Bagh police station protesting against the arrest of some persons on the charges of looting the property of Sikhs. The journalist also accused the then Additional Commissioner of Police (Delhi range) Hukam Chand Jatav of being sympathetic towards the Congress leader. While a section of the crowd led by Mr Shastri and a local Congress leader Moti Lal Bakolia were shouting against his junior officers, Mr Jatav was sympathising with the leaders “in clear rejection of the work done by his own DCP,” he said.
UNI |
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10 pc hike in rail fare likely: Digvijay Asansol, May 31 Talking to newsmen at Chittaranjan near here, he said, the fare of Shatabdi Express on the Delhi and Lucknow route had already been increased by the Northern Railway. He admitted that resource crunch could delay several projects of Zonal Railways, and said Rs 50,000 crore was needed to bring in the latest technology to the Indian Railways, and its production centres at Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW), Varanasi and Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), Burdhwan. Inaugurating the three-phase state-of-the-art high speed, WAP-5 type rail and express electric locomotive at the CLW workshop, he appreciated the design and efficiency of the 6,000 HP engine. “This engine would be exported as a few countries have already enquired of the price of locomotive,” he said and added that the CLW and the DLW had set a target of manufacturing 90 engines each in the current fiscal.
UNI |
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Manipur Speaker opts out Imphal, May 31 Mr Dhananjoy Singh, who is the leader of newly formed 40-member Progressive Democratic Alliance (PDA), told UNI this evening that he took the decision to withdraw his claim as “political situation in the state is very fluid and I do not want to make it more chaotic.” He said he took this decision after a meeting with Governor Ved Prakash Marwah last evening where he sought more time to submit the list of legislators supporting him. “Before sending the withdrawal letter I had a meeting with PDA members.” The Speaker’s chances to form the government was marred by the differences among the Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP), a PDA member.
UNI |
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Raising dam height criminal act:
BJP Bhopal, May 31 A three-member BJP team led by the Leader of the Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Mr Gauri Shankar Shejwar, visited the affected villages on May 20 and 21 and found the conditions of the displaced families as appalling. The other members were Mr Vijay Shah, MLA, and Mr Shailendra Pradhan, former MLA and a civil engineer. In a three-page report sent to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Mr Shejwar says the construction of the dam was stopped earlier at a height of 208 metres but recently the height had been raised to 213 metres. It was a criminal act to raise the height of the dam without first arranging proper settlement of the 2,841 families of 18 villages, which face submersion in the monsoons, barely a fortnight away, the report add. Mr Shejwar and state BJP President Vikram Verma, who released the report to mediapersons here today, said temporary rehabilitation centres should be immediately set up for the affected families and steps should be taken to resettle them as per the prescribed norms. The three-member BJP team found, according to the report, that the government, instead of arranging resettlement of the affected families, was trying to evict them forcibly from the villages. Only some of the affected families had been paid compensation which, according to the report, was inadequate. The BJP leaders demanded the registration of criminal cases against those responsible for raising the height of the dam without complying with the norms of resettlement and rehabilitation and also the institution of a judicial inquiry to determine who gave directions for raising the height. |
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Pak poet to meet
Vajpayee New Delhi, May 31 The Pakistani poet, who has been given a two months visa by the Union Home Ministry, had sought political asylum and his application has been pending with the competent authorities for the last few months. Aftab, who had helped in getting Vajpayee’s anthology of poems “Jang Na Hone Denge” published in Pakistan during his historic bus journey to Lahore in February 1999 and also was given a privilege to present the book in Urdu script to the Indian Prime Minister in Governor’s house on February 22, had crossed over to India in the hope of an honourable and secure existence. On specific official advise, the Pakistani poet, whose collection of 100 poems titled “Samudra se Pahli Mulakat” (first meeting with the sea) is about to hit stands shortly here, had moved in an application for political asylum but since then he is running from pillar to post to know the decision. Since then, the Pakistani Urdu poet has been given five visa extensions but a definitive word is yet to come. The list of doors that he has knocked for help and advise is long and includes names like Kuldip Nayyar, Kamleshwar, Kushwant Singh, L.M Singhvi, former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral, Brajesh Mishra but official silence continues to haunt Aftab Husain. |
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Concern over climate
change Dehra Dun, May 31 On the first day of the international workshop on “Global Environmental Facility (GEF) projects under operational programme-12” dealing with integrated eco-system management organised here in Forest Research Institute (FRI) today jointly by the Ministry of Environment, Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) and the FRI, the scientists aimed at crystallising the proposals and identifying potential projects for possible funding through the UNDP. Inaugurating the workshop, Mr R.P.S. Katwal, Director-General, Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), said the climate change, global warming and the problems of emissions were of much concern to the tropical world because it offered a direct challenge to the developmental model that we had adopted from the West and the land use systems which were considered to be net emitters. A stage had reached where all nations had to join hands to combat green house gas emissions and bring down it to acceptable levels. Dr R.B.S. Rawat, Director, Forests and Environment, Ministry of Environment and Forests, said the global temperature would rise by about 1 to 3.5°C by 2100. This projected change was much more than experienced over the past 10,000 years and was likely to have an impact on the global environment. The global warming would also adversely affect the forests and other eco-systems, he said, adding that water resources would vanish gradually. He said, the people and eco-systems would have to adapt to future climatic changes. The member countries of GEF have to develop strategies for adapting to climatic changes and cooperate on research and technology. The Global Environmental Facility, a concept of the United Nations Developmental Programme, is an important step to help nations in achieving green house gases mitigation targets. The workshop is being attended by top forest officials and scientists and will continue till June 2. |
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Outlook disputes official claim New Delhi, May 31 In a statement here, Mehta said the seizure panchnama signed by M.Z. Shirke, Deputy Commissioner of IT, showed that officials had taken away backups of all computers on its premises on a CD. This included all editorial computers. Its correspondent Manu Joseph’s bag was searched, his phone book scrutinised and he was interrogated on how he went about reporting and writing his story, Mehta said and asked “is this an income tax raid?”. About the seizure of cash, he said only Rs 50,000 kept for emergency medical expenses was seized from the residence of an ailing relative of the group promoter Rajan Raheja. Mehta reiterated that his magazine had received warnings, both “veiled and clear from the highest powers in the Vajpayee-led NDA government” over the past three months. The government officials were now compounding their “folly by lying through their teeth”. He said 10 IT officials and two policemen who raided the Outlook office spent 22 hours studying its subscription management system, bank deposit slips, petty cash vouchers and scrutinised old, rejected scribble pads used by employees.
PTI |
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General I.S. Gill dead Chennai, May 31 He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. Gen. Gill was ill for sometime and was admitted to the Military Hospital on April 25 for undergoing treatment for pneumonia. Gen Gill was commissioned into the Para Regiment and had held many important positions in the Army, including that of Army Commander, Western Command before his retirement in 1980. He was decorated with the Param Visisht Seva Medal and the Mahavir Chakra for distinguished service. Gen Gill, son of Lt-Col G.S.Gill (retd), founder of the Guru Nanak College here, was born at Faridkot in Punjab. A recipient of the Padma Bhushan award, Gen Gill was also the president of the college. NEW DELHI: The Punjab Governor, Lt-Gen JFR Jacob (retd), today expressed deep shock over the demise of Lt-Gen Inder Singh Gill, who passed away at Chennai, early this morning after, a prolonged illness. In a condolence message, the Governor said in the death of General Gill, India had lost one of the finest soldiers, who won Military Cross for Operations in Greece in World War-II. The Governor said Gen Gill was Director of Military Operation at Army Headquarters during the 1971 War and played a pivotal role in planning of operations in Western and Eastern theatres. While recalling his association with General Gill, General Jacob said we worked together in close co-operation during the 1971 War. His support and intervention during 1971 War was the major factor for our victory in the East. “He was a close friend and he will be missed by all, particularly by me”, the Governor added.
UNI and TNS |
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Bhati likely to be
Uttaranchal Chief Secretary Dehradun, May 31 Although Mr Kamal Tewari and Mr P. Jyoti Ram are also eyeing the Chief Secretary’s post yet Mr Bhati has a strong case of being the seniormost IAS officer of Uttaranchal cadre (1968 batch), besides, having political backing. Major-Gen B.C. Khanduri (retd), Union Minister of State for Surface Transport, being a politician from Uttaranchal is interested in giving the plum post to Mr Bhati. |
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Jacob gives draft
for quake-hit to PM New Delhi, May 31 The Governor informed the Prime Minister that the residents of City Beautiful, Chandigarh had collected Rs 2.66 crore for this fund. The Governor said tents, temporary pre-fabricated structures, shelters, blankets, mineral water, medicines and dry rations worth Rs 76 lakh were airlifted to the worst affected districts of Gujarat. He informed that the Chandigarh Administration sent special teams of engineers to various districts of Gujarat to erect pre-fabricated structures for them.
Hanumangarh, May 31 The owners of the fields in which the poles are to be set up have raised objection. They say because of the poles their land will not remain suitable for cultivation, and without commandeering, the office cannot establish the poles going by the law. The present cable of 33 kv, which comes from Bhadra to Nohar, was laid in 1960 and, hence, its condition is bad. This line connects Phepana, Gogameri, Liana Gorkhana and five other substations of Nohar city. The condition of Gogameri station is the worst and electricity faults occur here regularly. In Phephana and Gogameri breakers are not there and if any fault occurs in the station here, the supply has to be cut off from Bhadra. The batteries installed at Bhadra are more than 10 years’ old and are not working due to which electricity fault affects the neighbouring Rajgarh area. So many times officials at Rajgarh stop the supply and during times of additional load or any electricity fault, the supply line from Nohar to Bhadra is cut off. With the starting of 132 kv grid substation where electricity wastage will be reduced, the problem of tripping will also get solved. Dr Chandra Bhan, Power Minister, laid the foundation stone of the substation on November 3, 1999, and had announced that the supply would be given from Divali in the year 2000. Though the work started at a good pace, but because of these two poles it has stopped. Of the total 24,007 consumers of Nohar, 15,000 belonged to rural areas and during times of overloading, these become the target as feeders to rural areas are closed.
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11 die in factory blast Pune, May 31 The explosion was so devastating that the entire factory collapsed like a pack of cards. Only a lone chimney gazing in the sky bore testimony to the existence of the factory. The cause of the mishap was being investigated, Assistant Police Inspector Sridhar Pandurang Jadhav said.
PTI
New Delhi, May 31
New Delhi, May 31
New Delhi, May 31
Mumbai, May 31 However, there was speculation that the actor had been quizzed about the source of finance for a film in which he has played a lead role.
UNI
Mumbai, May 31 According to a company press note, the new prices for the Indica DLS model, ex-showroom Delhi, would be Rs 3,62,878 and ex-showroom Mumbai — Rs 3,64,139. The Indica DLE model will cost Rs 3,41,089, ex-showroom Delhi, and Rs 3,41,816, ex-showroom Mumbai.
UNI |
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